


Big News & Milkshakes

by yestofandoms



Category: Phandom/The Fantastic Foursome (YouTube RPF)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Devan - Freeform, First Kiss, Fluff, Friends to Lovers, High School, Howlcakes, M/M, Mutual Pining, One Shot, Short One Shot, Whats their ship name even?, and evan as this cute nerd, davan, i imagine dab as like a hipster artist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-06
Updated: 2017-05-06
Packaged: 2018-10-28 14:09:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,055
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10832865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yestofandoms/pseuds/yestofandoms
Summary: can't believe i ship these two so hard already here's a highschool one shot





	Big News & Milkshakes

**Author's Note:**

> can't believe i ship these two so hard already here's a highschool one shot

My mind drifted from the science lesson being taught as I already knew the material. Over the summer I was bored of playing video games and needed real mental stimulation so I accidentally finished all my coursework. I’ve never had such an intense thrill in my life! But, despite the passion I have for learning I have such a disinterest in recapitulations. I would start teaching myself work for the next year, but I don’t have any textbooks on my person right now. I push up my glasses with my pointer finger poking the middle of my spectacles and my attention falls onto the class clown and my lab partner: Dab Howlter.

Who is Dab Howlter you ask? He is a person I’ve been acquainted with for most of my life, I’ve had the absolute displeasure in living across the street from him, the Howlter residence really wanted the two of us to become friends -which is strange because my mother, Eliza Pancakes, and Dab’s father, Dil Howlter, have bad blood- and my parents have always worried about me making friends and Dab checked off that list. So, I’ve known him all my life and I’ve spent a good portion of it with him. From daycare, to elementary school, and now to high school. Not mentioning all the times we’ve spent together after school where he pestered me constantly, keeping me from doing my homework while he tried to get me to play Angry Birds on his slablet, or the summers we’ve spent together. Not even mentioning the multiple times our families have gone bowling together. I know a lot about Dab, perhaps maybe even a little bit too much about Dab.

Dab has a prodigal level of talent in the arts. His favorite medium is all; he can draw in oil pastels, acrylic, graphite, watercolor, charcoal, and more I can’t even begin to remember. Not only does he excel in traditional art, but also digital art. I remember when I was at his house over the summer I was watching the different way he paints when he switches from traditional to digital.  Dab wanted to practice drawing realistically in acrylic on his canvas and then comic-esque on his slablet. I was the subject of his attention as he was the subject of mine.

Staring at him now with my peripheral vision I can tell he is not paying attention to the lesson either, but the difference between him and I is that only one of us knows the subject. Later, when we go over to my house after school to complete homework I’ll have to reteach him the lesson and then he will distract me by saying something random. Then he will say that I am trying so hard not to laugh right now and that I am smiling, when obviously I’m not, why would I ever smile at Dab’s foolish jokes?

That’s like saying I am actually fond of Dab. It’s not like my heart skipped a beat when his gaze landed on me as he was drawing my portrait. That’s like implying I love being apart of the exclusive club that gets to see Dab’s beautiful luscious curls underneath his beanie that frame his face perfectly. Or suggesting that I love his adventurous clothing choices, or that sometimes I think to myself  Dab is the only person who can pull off wearing a beanie and bunny slippers. Or that I’m even more impressed with how he managed to not only avoid bullying with his attire, but also be the coolest kid in the grade. I’m not saying he is the coolest based on my opinion, just I’ve operationally defined cool as the amount of people who actively talk to you on a daily basis and Dab has the highest ranking in the grade so far. I have the least, but I’m the only one who can sustain the most popular boy’s attention so for the benefit of my self-confidence I am counting that as something.

On the topic of Dab’s attention or lack thereof, I’ve deduced he has strayed away from the lesson very early on, he never took out his notebook for class, but instead his sketchbook. He was drawing a side profile, I couldn’t tell who it was or see the details as well as I would’ve liked so I turned my head toward his sketch allowing my eyes to drop on his art. I noticed that he sketched in black ink with a regular pen, but the shading was beyond smooth I would’ve mistaken it for a photograph. It took me a little bit longer to realize the image was of me, not because the similarity wasn’t cunning, but because I was entranced by how Dab makes work of art. His hand brushed up against the pearl white of  his sketch paper ever so slightly trying not to leave any unwanted prints on his art. My eyes trailed from the carefulness of his strokes from his arm toward his face which held a calm and focused stare. And Dab did the thing that made my heart jump whenever he drew me. He would tilt his head softly as the tip of his tongue met his upper lip, his gaze would become even more gentle. Without uttering words he conveyed that he cared for his art and knowing that I was his art affected my heart.

I always need to remind myself. He was just Dab, just a person I happen to know, a boy who I’ve grown up with and know better than anyone else, maybe even myself. Dab, an artist who has claimed I was his muse on multiple occasions without a hint of mockery. Dab, someone I barely consider a friend, who I do not have a crush on at all. Dab Howlter, that’s the person who is someone that fits a checklist and that’s it. But as I remind myself of my feelings, Dab turns to face me finally realizing I’ve been watching him and he gives me the world’s biggest grin, the kind that uses your entire face all the way from the top of your forehead all the way down to your chin, that makes me forget all of my thoughts.

My mantra is replaced only with details of his face. Those dimples that I always enjoyed bearing witness too. His hazel eyes, which flicker from a forest green to a chocolate brown, right now they made me feel hungry for my dad’s chocolate chip pancakes. A few strands of his hair was falling out of his hat coiled up and lounging as an untouched beauty. He was wearing his black earrings which added to his artistic vibe. I stared at his jawline which was stronger with each coming day as we grow old together which led me back to the pinks of his lips which my eyes lingered at for a bit too long as I licked my lips before staring back into his eyes. I blinked my eyes rapidly as I tried to recollect my thoughts, Dab had whispered to me, but I was caught off guard by his features I couldn’t hear the world.

“-you think?” were all the words I could retain from my echoic memory of what Dab asked. I hadn’t said a word, but I assume he could tell I was confused from the way I pushed my brows upward as he lifted his sketchbook to give me a better view of the work.

“What do you think?” And there it was again, that cheshire grin, that stupid smile that makes you lose focus from your surroundings.

“Lovely,” I muttered absentmindedly thinking of Dab’s award winning smile, I could’ve stared at them forever, but Dab quickly turned to face his own work, a few of his curls continued to fall out of place and swayed as he moved.

“I’m glad you like it,” Dab quietly removed the piece of paper from his notebook, he placed his palm over the image of my face and I noticed his nails were painted black again before he handed the art towards me. “I made it for you.”

Our fingertips touched as he slide it over to me since we shared the same long desktop. My breathing hitched, it wasn’t noticeable, or at least it shouldn’t have been, but Dab was keen in noticing my details. He chuckled lightly as he took the paper back and signed his signature in the bottom right.

“Sorry, I forgot how sensitive you were about that,” Dab slide the paper back my way. “I remember the first time I drew for you how stubborn you were that I didn’t sign my name.”

“I told you why it’s important,” I spoke defensively trying to ignore the blush coming to my cheeks. The reason I told Dab to sign his art was a lie, the real reason was that I wanted proof that Dab would be willingly to admit that I was the center of his attention.

“Yeah, yeah, because when I get famous you can sell it for a good price.” Dab placed his elbow on the table as he rested his cheek on the knuckles of his hand. No longer trying to pretend his focus was at the bored listening to how chemicals bonds, he was solely interested in me with that stupid smile resting on his lips. “Evan, I have something to tell you, it’s not a big deal, _but_ ,” Dab sang his last word and shifted his smile into a smirk flashing his bright white teeth. “It might totally be a big deal.”

“Well,”I readjust my glasses, “what is it?”  Dab chuckled at my question as he leaned off of his arm and closer towards my ear keeping his voice low.

“I’ll tell you after school-” Dab leaned back from me, knowing what I was going to say next.

“But I want to know now.”

“Gotta build up suspense, Evan.” He certainly was pleased with himself, he wouldn’t stop smiling.

“Until an inevitable explosion?” I inquire with a pointed look.

“Until an inevitable catharsis.” Dab let out a soft breath as we stared at each other, I know my teacher was supposed to be talking, but I swear I couldn’t hear her as I saw Dab’s eyes flicker from mine towards my lips. I know scientifically it’s not possible, but my heart halted. “I’ll buy you a milkshake.”

“We’re going to the Shake & Stop after school?” It was a hangout spot pretty much everyone from school went to. I resented it, I never could focus on finishing my assignments Dab attracted everyone towards our booth even though it’s only supposed to be the two of us. I can’t think of how to balance equations when someone else is making Dab laugh.

“I’m glad you said so,” Dab grinned from ear to ear before I could rebuke and tell him I asked a question rather than made a declarative statement he beat me to it. “It’s a date then,” I would say my heart stalled, but I’ve heard Dab throw the word date around so loosely it could be as plain as the word gathering.  “I’ll get our favorite milkshake.”

“Since, it’s a date, we can even share.” I mimicked Dab’s outgoing personality.

“I like where your heads at,” Dab winked toward me, now my heart stalled. “I even let you eat the cherry.” Dab laughed as my cheeks turned a shade akin to a cherry.

“Mr. Pancake and Mr. Howlter!” The teacher shouted our names which forced me to give her my attention. “Do you have anything to share with the class?”

“Well, since you asked, Mr. Landgrab,” Dab started and I couldn’t stop the words flowing out of his mouth even if I kicked his foot underneath the table. “Evan and I are going on a date after school,” My eyes widened as Dab announced our ‘date’, I might now it just means we’re having a friendly hangout, but everyone else in the class doesn’t they are going to associate romantic connotations with our ‘date’. “If you want, Mr. Landgrab, you can come only if you buy your own milkshake though.”  The class was split between laughter and murmurs at the speculation of Dab and I possibly more than friends.

“Thank you for the kind invitation, Mr. Howlter-”

“We’re on a first name basis, Geoffrey, it’s okay you can call me Dab.” The class continued to snicker as our teacher decided to ignore his comment.

“But I will gladly decline and Mr. Pancakes,” Mr. Landgrab took a deep breath as he viewed Dab with pure indignation before facing me again. “Good luck.” The class seemed to laugh even more.

“Come on, I’m a catch.”Dab tried to defend himself before he laughed along with the rest of the class.

“Sure, sure,” Mr. Landgrab teasingly bobbed his head as he spoke in a mocking manner. “Anyway, class let’s return to _real_ facts…” The class picked up on the shade as multiple _oohs_ were made, but Dab could only grin in response. The class continued on and trailed on as I viewed my portrait avoiding making any accidental eye contact with any students still questioning the nature of Dab and I’s relationship.

The rest of the day trailed on and on. After that class, I kept irking Dab with inquires about what he had to tell me. What could be or not be a big deal? Yet, all he said in response was “Suspense.” I tried to deduce what could be the news, but my mind was blank. I couldn’t focus in any of my classes because the enigma that is the boy who lives across the street invading my mind. In every class following my eyes were on the clock waiting for school to end. I never want school to end, but this is what this boy has done to me!

When school finally reached its dismissal and the bell rang I grabbed Dab’s wrist so that we could reach Shake  & Stop before the rest of the high school population could infest the place.

“Woah!” Dab needed to keep up the pace I set, since he was the one who decided to keep a secret. “Pretty excited to share this shake, aren’t ya.”

“Pretty excited to know the answer to this paradox.”

“Now you’re making me nervous.” Dab laughed as I continue to rush us. I ignored the stares we were getting as we exited the school building practically holding hands. This was not going to distill the rumors, but at this present moment I didn’t care. I want to know what Dab has to tell me.

 

By the time we arrive to Shake & Stop, it’s full, but we were able to sit at a bar counter together. I tried to get Dab to tell me his secret once we were seated, but he refused until we got our vanilla milkshake with bits of crushed oreos topping the whip cream with a cherry on top. Once we got it, I asked him to tell me the secret, and he refused, until the moment felt right. Dab walked over to the jukebox, leaving the milkshake counter momentarily, he told me to watch his seat as he bought himself a song.

I asked for the song he picked and he said that dreaded word.

“Suspense.”

I was about to yell at him, but just then our milkshake arrived with two red and white striped bendy straws and instantly all my aggravations dispersed. I was shocked Dab actually only bought one shake and we were actually sharing. My lips twitched in something that Dab would call a smile, and I certain he noticed, although he decided not to comment on it. I saw him grinning in the corner of my vision as he pointed toward the fruit on stop. Dab remained true to his word as he let me eat the cherry on top. As soon as I ate the juicy red bulb; Dab asked me for the stem.

“Let me show you a trick.” he said. I was bewildered by his request, but I obliged him regardless. He took the stem from my hands and proceeded to put the stem in his mouth.

“You know,” I start to speak as I inch toward our shake. “I don’t think that was the part intended to be ate.” Before I could get a sip, Dab was pulling out a cherry which was now in a knot.

“How did you?” I stared in awe as Dab placed the knot on the table top. “You were so quick with that?”

“Just a trick I pick up. I was watching a tv show, they say if you can tie a stem with your mouth it means you can do something, but I forgot what the thing was.” Dab smiled as he took a sip of the shake.

“Congratulations on your talent, but that anecdote was anticlimactic, how can you tell me you can do something that means something, but not know what that something is.” I drank from the shake and our faces became very close very quickly, yet neither one of us departed. The shake was pure creamy goodness, I was truly in heaven.

“Yikes.”Dab inched away from the shake as he winced looking at the floor. “Then you’re really not going to like this.” I motion away from the shake hoping that wasn’t Dab’s big or not big news.

“Like what?” I squinted my eyes toward Dab. His eyes peered to the right, before he faced me with a sheepish look.

“That was the possible big, but not really news.”

“It better not be.” I told Dab through gritted teeth. “I didn’t listen to a word of anything in any class today because of you.”

“Awww, I was on your mind?” Dab perked up from his embarrassed disposition to his overly cheerful self.

“Unfortunately.” I deadpanned as an upbeat song played in the background. Dab looked up toward the speakers as his eyes gleamed and I saw an endless forest in his eyes.

“Wait, the song’s on, okay, the mood is right,” Dab smiled and I started paying attention to the lyrics. “Alright, that wasn’t the news, so you can breathe.”

“Good,” I let out a sigh of relief. I heard the song play _I was an island before you came along_ … I would've paid more attention to it had it not been for Dab talking to me.

“Let’s play a quick game. Two truths and a lie. You pick out the lie and one of the truth is the big or not big news, okay?” Dab seemed so happy as he smiled toward me.

“Okay, I am ready to play.” I pushed my glasses up once more as Dab raised the three fingers in between his thumb and pinky.

“One; I have broken my right arm before so now I need to get surgery for it.” That was the lie. He broke his left arm, it was a trick question, but now I know that one of the next two will contain his secret.

“Two: You are my muse.” I already knew that so I doubt that’s the secret, but as I heard him say that I was able to tune the song back into my head. _I can’t do this alone anymore, cause I’m no good on my own anymore._ So, the next one is the secret.

“Three,” There way a long pregnant pause before Dab spoke. For once he seemed serious, before he smiled at me as if he had some revelation. “I’m gay.” Dab’s voice was tender and soft as he faced me so lovingly. I didn’t respond as I froze staring at him with my jaw gone slack. I hadn’t said anything in awhile as I processed so much the next chorus came by and I heard the last half of it.

 _What did I do to deserve this?_ I felt my heart beating, there was an impulse racing in my head that I couldn’t make sense of. _What did you do to me?_ And I decided maybe not everything needs to make sense.

Before I realized that I was leaning forward, my hand was already caressing Dab’s cheek and our lips came into contact. I saw a small glimpse of shock, a ruffle of wind through a forest, in Dab’s eyes as I inched closer to him before I inevitably closed my eyes allowing our lips to meet.

My mind traced back to earlier this morning, the bright smile, that made you lose sense of everything, but I was wrong. You didn’t lose the sense of touch, with your eyes closed, your sense of touch was heightened. Even though the kiss was a few seconds, a soft peck, it felt like forever and I loved it.

When we pulled away from each other, both of our cheeks were dusted in pink. I chuckled unable to hide my laughter.

“You’re smiling, now!” Dab had to point it out now.

“So, are you!” I couldn’t refrain from showing my joy as Dab leaned in for another kiss, placing the his palm on the back of my head. While his other hand found one of mine as we interlocked hands.  I could feel that beautiful smile dancing on my lips and he found mine as well.

We probably would have continued to kiss, had it not been for the other high schoolers who were cheering in the background. Dab and I broke away from our kiss to look at the familiar faces of our classmates. Dab rolled his eyes as he ignored them for me.

“It’s just us,” He whispered to me with a playful grin. “Let’s finish up our shake and we can go home.”

“Sounds like a date,” I chuckle as I slurp up some shake. “Oh, and I can teach you all about balancing equations.”

“And I can pretend to pay attention while I draw my boyfriend.” My heart jumped at the word boyfriend. “If that’s okay with you?”

“Y-yeah, that’s more than okay,” I hated smiling before, but now I couldn’t keep from doing it my cheeks hurt. “But just so you know all my boyfriend’s must have at least a 3.5 GPA.”

“In that case, we better hit them books.” Dab bite his bottom lip as he laughed and I did the same. I could feel my smile spread to my entire face mostly because my cheeks pushed up the frames of my glasses to make them touch my forehead.

 

As we were leaving Shake & Stop we held hands while walking home and my mind drifted to the moment’s prior. My lips on his. I kissed the boy who lived across the street. I kissed the artist who made me his muse. I kissed the boy I’ve known all my life. I kissed Dab and it was incredibly sweet. Figuratively and literally, his lips tasted like vanilla ice cream and I wanted to taste it once more.

I stopped walking as I went on the tips of my toes to give my _boyfriend_ another peck.

“Sorry,” I sighed so happily it was clear that I was not sorry to kiss my boyfriend. “It’s just that, I really like kissing you, but I had to make sure that I liked kissing you and the only way to find out something is valid is through replication.”

“You and your nerd talk,” Dab chuckled as his hands were placed on my sides. “So, tell me is your research valid?”

“Very much so,” I muse.

“Are you sure? I think we should test it out some more.” Dab smirked as he leaned in for another peck and I started laughing into the kiss.

“Valid, so valid.” I murmured as we both broke away from one another to cackle from laughter.

“Hey,” Dab wiped away a tear from the corner of his eye still holding a smile. “How do you think we should tell our parents we’re dating?”

“Oh, I have just the idea,” I told Dab, my boyfriend, as we began walking again towards our homes.

“Mom, Dad,” I try my best to mimic the melodrama that Dab often carries in his voice. “I have some big or maybe not big news.”  


**Author's Note:**

> this was the song :D  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0SqCGFPDFaU  
> also if we are in this small fandom together send me devan headcannons :D epicusernamerighthere.tumblr.com


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